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Date: 7/18/2023
NORTHAMPTON — After 25 years on the job, Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper has seen and experienced tremendous change and growth. From changing laws and technology to increased collaboration with other organizations, the changes have been significant, but one thing has remained at the heart and soul of her time both as an officer and chief.
“At its core, the work is still the same,” said Kasper. “People need help and they call us.”
This belief stands at the very heart of everything that Kasper does and the initiatives with which she moves forward. She is open to reaching out to other groups to best serve the needs of Northampton residents.
“We deal with complex social issues that are often at the core of our work,” said Kasper. “Those issues cannot be addressed alone and our most successful efforts at addressing these issues have been through collaboration with different city departments, non-profits, and individuals.”
One of the initiatives that Kasper is most proud of is the Drug Addiction and Recovery Team that the department formed in 2016 in collaboration with Hampshire HOPE.
“Northampton started this program using a harm-reduction model and providing follow-up services to people facing addiction,” explained Kasper. “The DART program has spread across multiple counties and has been a contributing factor to a shift from seeing addiction as a crime to seeing it as a health issue.”
In 2021, the department began its co-responder program. This allows for crisis responders to go out on calls that have a need to deal with behavioral health issues. According to Kasper, last year Northampton Police Department had 1,298 calls involving mental health, and crisis responders were able to go on 490 of those calls.
Although those programs stand out as bigger initiatives, Kasper’s work over 25 years has many smaller projects and moments that have significantly impacted Northampton residents. During her years as a detective, Kasper worked on many difficult cases and said she felt “proud of being able to build a strong case and help a victim find closure and maybe some sense of justice.” As chief, those daily moments also fill her with a sense of pride in her department from their level of service to being the first police department in the state to join President Barack Obama’s Police Data Initiative in 2016 which improves transparency and accountability.
Some of the changes over her time at the department, such as the legalization of marijuana, the 2020 police reform law and the improved technology available, have certainly changed how the job is done.
However, one of the biggest challenges facing Kasper, as well as many other police chiefs, is the decrease in people who are interested in joining the force. To combat this, Kasper has changed the application process to remove some of the hurdles that may have deterred some applicants.
“We assessed each step that a potential applicant moves through and implemented substantial changes,” explained Kasper. “Now, we have a quick and easy application process, no written exam, an informative and easy-to-digest website on employment, and we track where we lose applicants. We then use that data to make changes as needed. I really enjoy rising to meet these types of challenges to keep the department moving forward.”
Despite all the things she’s already accomplished, Kasper has more improvements and projects she’s focused on in the near future. A top priority for her is the recruitment and retention of new officers.
“Low staffing levels are a threat to our officers’ health and safety and the quality of services that we are able to provide to the community,” said Kasper. “Low staffing also increases overtime costs. Therefore, this is a major focus of our daily work.”
Kasper also currently has a working group evaluating the new Records Management System, software that tracks all of the department’s records and was last replaced in 2001, more than 20 years ago.
“Technology has come a long way and a new RMS would increase many of our capabilities, improve our efficiency, and would be more user-friendly,” explained Kasper.
Another area in need of improvement is communication, specifically more functional radios as they don’t work in some areas of the city.
“Our radios are our most important tool that we carry and there are areas in the city where they don’t work,” said Kasper. “This is a significant safety issue and one that I have been looking forward to fixing.”
Despite its challenges, Kasper is also hoping that an animal control facility will be built. However, these are just parts of the job that Kasper enjoys — a challenge and solving problems. Her 25 years have exposed her to many problems and issues facing the city’s residents and that experience guides her through her decisions.
“Working as a police officer in a community exposes you to a different side of a city. And unfortunately, that side is often filled with desperation, violence, and suffering,” said Kasper. “The number of people struggling is really what stands out to me. I don’t take for granted the fact that I have access to medical care, healthy food and a warm house.”
Collaborations and working with other groups in the city to improve the lives of Northampton residents are one of the most pivotal aspects of the job.
“I have gotten to know and see in action all the helpers out there. We have so many people in our community who do incredible work to care for people who need help,” said Kasper. “Members of NPD, Northampton Fire Rescue, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Public Works, nonprofit and other organizations, and groups of community members advocating for safety across the city all contribute to a safer and healthier Northampton. This city is filled with incredible people doing great work.”